Who here has given birth in a hotel room?

[pamamidwife]

I have a client who is living about six hours away from me. She had her second, a home VBAC, with me about three years ago. Where she lives now is horrific in terms of care, she'd get an automatic cesarean and the only mw in her area is freaky.

We've contemplated her giving birth in a hotel room since she will be staying with a large family around her due date about an hour away from me. I feel fine doing a birth in a hotel room, as does she, but my assistant is really freaked out about it. Is it that scary to do such a thing? My client isn't really that noisy in birth (and her VBAC was LONG and painful!), so I don't worry about the noise. I think my asst worries about someone calling the authorities...but, I always feel rather callous about law enforcement and rules.

Did YOU birth in a hotel room? If so, how did it go? Did the management know what you were doing?

[Raven]

What an interesting question!! I personally haven't but would love to know if anyone has so I'll be : in the corner of ya dont mind

[Artisan]

Nope, but I would do it if that were the only option available to me. I would definitely bring my own linens, though.

[zoe398]

Personally, I have no experience, but when I was pregnant with my 3rd, my midwife did this during the course of my care. She had a 2nd time mom who had used my midwife for her first and she had moved just over the state line and still wanted to use the same midwife for the 2nd. So she booked the "honeymoon suite" at a hotel and when she was in labor, they drove to the hotel ( about an hour from her home). They chose the suite b/c of the large tub, refridgerator and spacious room. My midwife and her assistants scrubbed the tub and the couple brought their own linens(including loads of towels).She had a beautiful waterbirth in a heart shaped tub! Her other child was there as well. They wrapped the placenta and put it in the fridge, mom and family bonded, midwives cleaned thoroughly, and when all was set, they left! Funny aside, though...when the couple got home they realized they had forgotten the placenta! Hubby raced back to the hotel and b/c it was the middle of the night, no one had cleaned the room yet. He explained they had left something in the fridge and they let him go get it. I don't think the management ever knew...seems to me it would be a wise choice NOT to tell. They're likely to come up with a silly liability reason why you couln't do this...especially if it's a larger hotel. As far as the noise, I can't imagine that it would be anything that would really affect the rooms neighbors. I mean, the walls are pretty thick, and so what if they hear a little moaning, they're likely to think it's just a little sex!

[Eggie]

:

[Belle]

I mean, the walls are pretty thick, and so what if they hear a little moaning, they're likely to think it's just a little sex!

:

[Mama to 4]

Wow!!!
For what its worth, I keep feeling like I want to do this for our planned U/C next month. Our main reason: Our bathroom is sooooooo tiny and yucky, and I kind of envision wanting the "big beautiful bed and jacuzzi" of a birth center, ummm minus the $3000 and minus the employees :LOL

I was afraid of being "caught" or by feeling possibly inhibited by the fear of being "caught"--- (hotel management?) plus if we had to transfer, getting outta there might be wierder than just hopping in the driveway.....

Man, though, this is re-kindling my little fantasy of doing this!!!

just my 2 cents, interesting topic!!!

[Jane]

If I was assisting at a hotel "homebirth" - I'd want to go to the hotel while the woman was in early labor and scrub everything - the walls, floors, furnature, everything with a little soapy water. Then when labor got hopping, the family could come into a room that was all set up and they wouldn't have to have a care about it.

Do you think it would look weird to go into a hotel carrying a vaccuum?

[Raven]

Umm, yeah :LOL

[WinterBaby]

I'd be squeamish over other people's germs - would wanna clean and bring linens. But otherwise, hotel room sounds dandy. I'd want to be in one with great room service, and maybe a large heated indoor pool and/or adjacent to shopping for early labor excursions too for that matter Ah, the more I think about it, the more it seems like a great idea. I wouldn't for a moment tell hotel management this was the plan - no business is required to do business with anyone, ya know? They don't need to justify refusing to do busniess with you. The most I might indicate to anyone (and not even hotel staff unless asked directly,) is that I'm staying there because it's closer to my hospital and doctors, and intend to labor there right up until I need to go to the hospital. An explanation of sorts if you're laboring in the halls, I guess, heh. People don't call authorities over women laboring. More like they clear the area in case a baby unexpectedly falls out, LOL

[TrishWSU]

OK I really don't ahve anything useful to add except that I would do it in a heartbeat if it meant I could give birth in the way I wanted with the attendant I wanted.

But, this topic just struck me with a hilarious (at least to me) scene of a woman with this nice big pregnant belly checking into some posh hotel, then a few hours later checking out with a baby in her arms.

If I ever give birth in a hotel, I hope I can check-in and check-out while the same person is working the front desk. Oh, just to see the look of shock and confusion on their face would make the experience so much sweeter.

OK, I think I really need to go to bed now. I'm becoming a bit loopy!

[Rach]

I think this is an option that many women do take.
My midwife told me it was an option for me, since I live just barely within/outside the guideline limits for a home VBAC. Of course, I'm more comfortable at home, so we decided against traveling while in labor [or shacking up in a hotel until I do go into labor].
I imagine you wouldn't tell management [they'd probably refuse you, or call an ambulance or something.] Besides, it's not like when you check in they say "BTW..sign this waiver stating you will not give birth in our rooms." LOL.

It's almost tempting though, to labor and birth in a heart shaped tub...

[MamaTaraX]

I have a friend who did this. They went and rented a hotel room when she went into labor and she birthed in the big jacuzzi tub. Her midwife came and attended thebirth. If I everfind her email, I'll PM it to you.

I'd happily birthin a hotel room ifthe option became a necessity, though like a previous postersaid, I'd clean that place up big time. If nothing else, allthe cleaning would move my labor right along

Namaste, Tara
mama to Doodle (6), Butterfly (2), and Rythm (due at home 1/06)

[Peony]

One of the mamas I know was planning to give birth at a B & B! The B & B was in the middle of the drive, the mom's house was too far away from the MW. She ended up going with a hospital birth, but apparently this MW has used that option several times for births.

[darkstar]

I woul do it in a heartbeat too. I know plenty of mamas that have birthed in not such luxurious quarters such as... the back of a U-Haul, bonaroo(music festival) numerous grateful dead shows etc. So comming from a hippie the honeymoon suite sounds great :LOL I wouldnt be worrie, although I wouldnt tell the management either, as there is most likley rules against this becuase insurance issues. I am sure that this has been discussed here in great lenght before.


darkstar

[SKK]

With ds#2, I labored in a hotel room for about 15 hours (from about 4 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next day). We did not tell them what we were doing there.